Notice
Persons attempting to find a motive in this narrative will be prosecuted ;
persons attempting to find a moral in it will be banished;
persons attempting to find a plot in it will be shot.
BY THE ORDER OF THE AUTHOR
PER G.G., CHIEF OF ORDINANCE (1277)
The above statement by Mark Twain was retrieved from The Norton Anthology American Literature book (1277). Huckleberry Finn had a very rough life and he was never really happy in school. It saddened me to find out how his father treated him, and yet it also helped me figure out the reasoning behind his thought process. Huck Finn was a very smart individual for his age and thank goodness he was able to outsmart his father. Most parents want their children to be smart and successful in this world. This story is just the opposite where the parent pride is hurt because of his son's knowledge. Thank goodness Huckleberry had common sense and a will to survive.
Huck thinks he is alone on this island until he meets up with Jim (suprise). Huck establishes bond with Jim that cannot be broken. They help one another while learning to appreciate what the other has to offer. Huck goes to extremes to keep Jim safe from harms way and Jim would do the same for Huck when he could. Two very different people learned how to work together, befriend one another, and survive against the odds. This story shows when we overcome societies barriers good results can be achieved. We all need to have a desire to understand others and reach out to them.
*Remember never judge a book by its cover, always look at the inside print!*
One thing I have learned over the years of teaching is to really try to look at the 'inside print.' Treating people fairly is something that should always be done, but often isn't. Prejudices, preconceptions, and biases tend to creep in, whether intentional or not. That is one thing I really like about the online courses. Students are evaluated by their work, not by their physical appearance, their clothing, or their socio-economic status. Their characters and personalities come through. What fun it is to get to 'know' others through this medium. Your quote at the end is a good one to live by!
ReplyDeleteYour statement by Mark Twain is absolutely wonderful. How wonderful to think that the author simply wanted to be enjoyed. Sometimes the reader can read too much into the thing and destroy that which was truly created for simple leisure reading. Huckleberry Finn, obviously, had a wonderful message, as you have spoken of. To discover friendship in an unlikely place is truly a gift received. Thank you for sharing.
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